Ethnomethodologically informed ethnography and information system design

This paper describes ethnomethodologically informed ethnography (EM) as a m ethodology for information science research, illustrating the approach with the results of a study in a university library. We elucidate major differe nces between the practical orientation of EM and theoretical orientation of other ethnographic approaches in information science research. We address ways in which EM may be used to inform systems design and consider the issu es that arise in coordinating the results of this research with the needs o f information systems designers. We outline our approach to the "ethnograph ically informed" development of information systems in addressing some of t he major problems of interdisciplinary work between system designers and EM researchers.